Lighting fixture



1934. F. w. WAKEFIELD 1,969,534

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 4, 1932 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEKSI Patented Aug. 7, 1934 PATENT OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTURE Frederick W. Wakefield, Vermilion, Ohio, assignor to F. W. Wakefield Brass Co., Vermilion, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application January 4, 1932, Serial No. 584,596

4 Claims.

In lighting equipment it has been customary to support shades by elaborate arrangements of special socket-forms. This has precluded use of such shades as the bowl-type shade on simple pendant lamps, as hanging for instance from a cord; and in locations where additional expense for the customary type of shade supports is unjustified no possibility of attaining the advantages of semi-indirect or indirect lighting has been possible. A similar situation also exists in the case of many older installations which provide more or less elaborate fixtures, but of the direct-light type. A construction therefore, which is applicable to any standard lamp socket without requiring substitution thereof, such as to make available the possibilities of moderntype diffused-lighting is accordingly of fundamental importance and highly desirable, particularly if in addition to this there is further available the advantage of inexpensiveness and simplicity of construction.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be applied.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is an axial sectional view showing an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the bowl; Fig. 3 is an axial detail section; and Figs. 4 and 5 are views corresponding to Fig. 1, showing modifications.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown an electric lamp base 2, such as the usual base shell threaded to enter a standard socket, but this base instead of terminating shortly as customary, has an extension E. This extension preferably is insulated from contact with the lamp terminal, and may be made in whole or in part of insulating material. Preferably, it may comprise a sleeve 3 of insulation material, such as fibre for example, secured to the shell 2, and a metal sleeve 4 thence secured on and extending beyond the fibre sleeve. Connected to the extension then, is a shade, this being supported, as seen, thus from the lamp 1 may advantageously be of bowl form, such as bowl-shade 5. This may be of metal or glass, particularly translucent or semi-opaque glass, and may be connected to the lamp base by suitable connecting or supporting means. By forming such connecting means in a character such as to obstruct light the least possible, the I most desirable results may be had, and this may involve a strap form of means, as metal pieces extending from the bowl to the lamp base. Desirably also, such means may be flexible, such as wires or chain, and as indicated in Fig. l, the connecting means in the form of chains 6 may extend from the lamp base 2 to suitable anchorages on the bowl 5. In employing chains of suitably fine link or connected ball form, one end may be secured to the extension shell 4, for instance by insertion between links into a slot '7. The other end may then be secured to the bowl by similar insertion, for instance in a slot in an anchor member projection 8. In Fig. 5 a strip form of shade support 6' is shown. The number of connecting straps or chains may vary in accordance with particular conditions and effects, but ordinarily an arrangement involving three is desirable. 30 With such an assembly, as readily seen, with a lamp 9 inserted in the base 2, the entire device may simply be screwed into a lamp socket at any desired location, and the shade and lamp together are taken care of in common.

In cases where combination metal and glass or translucent shades are desired, such may be had for example, as indicated in Fig. 4, where the body of the bowl 5 is of metal, and a glass plate 10 constitutes an insert in the bottom thereof, such plate being desirably of a frosted or translucent character. The plate may be seated against a shoulder ledge in the metal portion of the bowl, as ledge 11. The plate may then be secured against displacement, by suitable means, and preferably this may take a form in common for both securing the plate and the end of the connecting means or chain 6. A projection 8', secured to the metal portion of the bowl in any suitable manner, for instance by welding or riveting, may be so positioned as to partly over-lap the margin of the glass plate 10, and provide an up-standing free extremity 12 which may be slotted or otherwise contoured to receive and hold the end of the connector or chain 6. The number of anchor pieces 8 may generally correspond with the number of connector elements or chains 6, or may, if desired, be in excess thereof.

11 As a further refinement of the invention, th 0 base extension E may be of a length such as to fit or permit use -with lamps only of predetermined size, thereby preventing use of an undesired or improper lamp. That is, the length of the extension E may be such as to prevent over-short and small lamps. Again, the extension E may be of a diameter dimensioned to prevent use with over-size lamps. Thus the size of the lamp can be closely controlled to desired limits, and the most advantageous proportions for the entire assemblage may be had.

In its various forms, the invention is accordingly seen to provide a simple and directlyapplicable assembly means for realization of modern-type lighting effects, utilizable in lamp sockets generally irrespective of whether their mounting carries a shade support or not. In fact, by reason of its simplicity, and consequent lightness of construction, such an assemblage may be employed to advantage with any simple socket generally.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the means stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:-

1. In lighting equipment, a bowl-shade, a glass plate insert in the bottom thereof, an electric lamp base having an outer sleeve of fibre and a metal sleeve extension secured on such fibre sleeve, slots in the margin of such metal sleeve, flexible connectors secured in such slots, and means in common for anchoring the other end of said connectors and for holding the glass insert in the bowl, said means including a. projecting member extending from the metal bowl portion overthe edge of the glass insert and slotted to receive the connector ends.

2. In lighting equipment, an electric lamp base receivable in a socket, the wall of said base being prolonged by an insulated extension, a bowl-shade, an insert-plate in the bottom thereof, means for holding said insert-plate in said bowl-shade, said means having connectionopenings for separatesupport members, said support members extending between such connection-openings and the aforesaid extension.

3. In lighting equipment, a screw threaded lamp base receivable in a screw threaded socket and having a screw threaded socket to receive a lamp, an insulating sleeve surrounding said last named socket and a second sleeve having a diameter slightly larger than that of said last named socket, secured to said insulating sleeve and extending downwardly therefrom a distance substantially equal to the length of the neck portion of such lamp thereby preventing the use of undersize lamps.

4. In lighting equipment, a screw threaded lamp base receivable in a screw threaded socket and having a screw threaded socket to receive a lamp, an insulating sleeve surrounding said last named socket and a second sleeve having a diameter slightly larger than that of said last named socket, secured to said insulating sleeve "and extending downwardly therefrom a distance substantially equal to the length of the neck portion ofsuch lamp thereby preventing the use of undersize lamps, a closed bowl-shade, support members connecting said second sleeve and said bowl-shade, and supporting said bowlshade at a distance from said lamp base that is slightly greater than the over-all length oi said lamp, thereby preventing the use of oversize lamps.

FREDERICK W. WAKEFIELD. 

